JUST 55 unemployed people have had their dole cut for refusing to take up a training offer in the space of three months, the Irish Independent has learned.

The figures undermine Social Welfare Minister Joan Burton's recent claims of a crackdown on those claiming unemployment benefits as a "lifestyle choice".

Her comments were described as "Thatcherite", and Ms Burton yesterday provided precious little detail about how her plan to prevent young school leavers from signing on the dole will work.

She said yesterday that the vast majority of people unemployed at the moment were out of work because of the economic downturn and the collapse in construction.

Ms Burton said most people were "desperately anxious" to find work and were looking very hard to find work.

However, she said people had a responsibility to make themselves available if they were "offered reasonable opportunities and options around, for instance, taking up a good-quality training course, going back into education, taking up job training or work experience".

Ms Burton added: "If they're made reasonable offers, we ask them to engage with the system."

She said those not making themselves available for work could have their dole cut by €44 under a change to the law introduced by the previous government.

"And that has begun in a small way in relation to a small number of people who have refused to engage with the system," she said.

However, only 55 people have had their welfare cut since Ms Burton's department began enforcing this rule in April -- a rate of just three per week in the whole country.

The unemployment rate stands at 14.2pc, with 457,948 people signing on for benefits last month.

Service

Ms Burton claimed that between 1pc and 3pc of those on the dole were abusing the system. She said the Government intended to bring in a new employment service, called the national employment and entitlement service.

The system will involve combining information on social welfare entitlements with suggestions of education, training, coaching and interview advice.

But this one-stop shop for the unemployed will take some time to implement.

Ms Burton was accused of attempting to distract from forthcoming social welfare cuts.